My Other Blogs

If you know me at all, you know I am passionate about quilting. I'm also passionate about politics. But not everyone is. I try to keep Occasional Threads apolitical. But sometimes I fail.

If you are a political junkie like I am, go to my other blog: http://yellodogdemocratrants.blogspot.com Fair warning: It is what the name implies.

I also have a blog about women's heart health issues coming soon.

Let Freedom Ring!

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King

Today, as we anticipate the inauguration of Barack Obama, we stop to honor Dr. Martin Luther King. When searching for images of him, I ran across a wonderful photo essay from Time combining photographs of Dr. King along with his powerful words. To view them, click here:
http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/mlk/

Seeing the images and reading Dr. King's words brought home the awesomeness of what is going to occur tomorrow, when we inaugurate our first African American President. Below is a bit of MLK's eloquence. (Please note some of the quotes are cut off on the right. My apologies. Blogger would not let me change them in any way. ) ( To view everything in its proper light, click on the site linked above.

ON BLACKS IN AMERICA (From Birmingham jail, 1963): "Before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, we were here. Before the pen of Jefferson etched across the pages of history the majestic words of the Declaration of Independence, we were here. If the inexpressible cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail. We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands."

ON THE DREAM OF FREEDOM (1963): "So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed . . . that all men are created equal. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true."

ON FREEDOM (1963): "So let freedom ring. From the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire, let freedom ring. From the mighty mountains of New York, let freedom ring. From the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania, let freedom ring. But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. And when this happens, when we let it ring, we will speed that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last, free at last/Thank God Almighty, we're free at last."

ON HIS OWN FUTURE (April 3, 1968): "We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. I won't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And he's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land. So I'm happy tonight. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. "

Manifest Hope Exhibit

Note: After I posted this I found an article on the exhibition in the Charlotte Observer. It's really unfortunate that it's only a three-day show!


The about portion of the Manifest Hope website reads: "Art plays a critical role in creating cultural momentum. The MANIFEST HOPE DC Gallery celebrates that role and shines a spotlight on artists who use their voices to amplify and motivate the grassroots movement that carried President-Elect Barack Obama to victory."

Art from three areas of concern - health care reform, workers' rights and the green economy can be viewed here: http://manifesthope.com Go to click here to view winners.

Artist: Derek Gores, Melbourne FL

His is one of five winning posters on Health Care Reform.

Thankful Charlotteans

Front page of this morning's 'Charlotte Observer'

There are many thankful Charlotteans today. Several were passengers aboard US Airways flight 1549 which ditched in the Hudson River Thursday. Today's news was filled with interviews of the very, very grateful survivors who all had nothing but kudos for the pilot and NYC rescue workers. A couple of guys at cardiac rehab this morning were talking about friends who'd been on the plane. So many in class are bankers and businessmen.

Plane photo posted to Twitter by Janis Krums via cell phone. Krums was a passenger on one of the ferryboats responding to the rescue.

Civil War Fabrics

The Civil War Diary Quilt
by Rosemary Youngs

Civil War reproduction fabrics.

More reproduction Civil War fabrics.

My sister Patty is lucky to be in a very active quilt group in CA. Their current project? Civil War quilts. Using Rosemary Youngs' book, The Civil War Diary Quilt, each quilter will make a block for each participant as well as herself. Some have chosen two or three different six-inch blocks. That's a lot of blocks and eventually a lot of fabric. Since there are nine participants, Patty will make nine of each of the blocks she's chosen.

Patty is using reproduction Civil War fabrics for her blocks. I'm sending several quarter-yard pieces of Judie Rothermel (for Marcus Brothers) designs from my stash to California so that my sister can use them. I'd purchased them seven or eight years ago so they are completely different from the ones Patty had. Hopefully she'll have fun with this expanded palette!

The Opening

The opening for Quilt Evolution last night was fabulous! And crowded - way too busy for proper photographs. My DH did manage to capture the few images shown.

Here I am with my pieces Shrimp Creole, Toast with Jam and Orange Slice. All three have food names. Is there a subliminal message here?

My friend Jan Bode Smiley with Full Circle: Old Growth
Jan is the author of: Focus on Batiks, Scrapbooks on the Go, The Art of Fabric Books and Altered Board Books. jansmiley.com

Close-up of Jan's beautifully framed work. Don't you love the colors?

A Study
by

Susan Woodall
The piece is fused and machine quilted.

Harriet, Gayle, Louise, Ann, Dee
A very few of our many friends who came out to support us and the show! Thanks, y'all!

I hope many of you will have a chance to see this show before it comes down February 6. Designed to educate the public about quilts as art, the exhibition showcases contemporary works, mixed media, art cloth, framed works as well as some traditional quilts. Mint Hill Arts did a primo job of hanging a very nice show.

The gallery also has a small gift shop featuring pottery, wood, jewelry, silk and hand knit scarves and notecards.

All Photos: Bill Guerrant

Gallery Reception

Orange Slice
One of my pieces in the show.

Detail

Tonight is the opening reception for Quilt Evolution: Traditional to Contemporary at Mint Hill Arts (see right-hand sidebar). I'll try to get lots of pictures to share tomorrow. I think it's going to be a great show!

Stress-free Greetings

New Year's Greetings
Stamped and ready to go.

More than a decade ago during a very stressful year, I was late sending our Christmas cards. So many people said they loved our New Years letter, as it came after the holidays when they could relax and actually sit down to read it. Aha! A tradition was born!

Epiphany, January 6, is our 'mail by' date. If we'd had enough stamps we would have made it yesterday! But we didn't and it really was OK.

This Christmas we received a few E-cards. I completely understand why some have chosen to go this route. I sent about 12 myself to people for whom I had no address. Cards and letters are expensive as is postage. And if one chooses to include a photo, there is that additional cost.

But I'm not ready to give up sending real, as in hold in one's hand, letters and cards. I treasure them, especially the ones whose sender has scribbled a personal note. I love reading them again after Christmas. And the photos! They are precious to me, as I so seldom see my family.

I used to keep every single card and letter which came into this house but it got ridiculous after a while. Now I save them for a while, then pull the letters which are a written history in themselves, and of course every photo.

With a card or letter which someone took the time to write, stamp and mail I have something lasting. A card and perhaps a photo. With E-cards? Once it's out of your inbox it's gone forever. And then what do you have?

Things Erased

In yesterday's post I wrote about having a clean slate. Before beginning anew, it's nice to look back at what has been accomplished. Here are a few of the things erased from my 2008 slate.

1. Completed my Mother's queen-size quilt.
2. Finished my son and DIL's wedding quilt.
3. Had my studio painted.
4. Finally bought a Horn sewing cabinet.
5. Designed and had built a new cutting table.
6. Was the featured artist at Barnful of Quilts.
7. Had work in two gallery shows.
8. Like my great-grandfather and grandmother, continued keeping a diary - and in the same type of book.
7. Wrote more letters.
8. Tried to be a kinder person.
9. Made 181 blog entries.
10. Disposed of several car loads of 'stuff' from the house.
11. Got rid of nearly half of my cookbook collection.
12. Donated a many years' collection of quilting magazines.
13. Culled my fabric stash, giving boxes of it to charity.
14. Got rid of my old sewing patterns.
15. Scanned and copied to CDs dozens of old family photographs.
16. Began eating right following two heart attacks.
17. Completed 12 weeks of cardiac rehab and
18. Chose to continue the program.
19. Lost 20 pounds!
20. Following an intervention by my DIL - updated my look by getting new Ralph Lauren specs!
21. Changed my hair color.
22. Established a new perennial bed in our garden.
23. Worked very hard to get Barack Obama elected! Yeah!!!
24. Donated supplies to a high school art teacher.
25. I SURVIVED!

A Clean Slate

Whenever I've heard the phrase "a clean slate" I've thought, "A new start, a fresh beginning. Period." I'd never really thought about the more expansive definition found in The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy: "The phrase comes from the use of chalk and slates in classrooms in the past. By wiping the slate clean, a student could remove any evidence of a mistake." Usingenglish.com refers to it this way: "If you start something with a clean slate then nothing bad from your past is taken into account." I prefer my more simplistic definition.

Now is the perfect time for it, no matter how you define "a clean slate." In our house, we begin by removing the Christmas tree, packing up the ornaments and holiday china and in essence, making "a clean sweep" of things. Only then do I feel I can begin something new.

My to do list for 2009 is long and unfortunately contains things I'd hoped to accomplish in 2008. Much time last year was consumed by important personal projects and serious health issues. In spite of that, I was able to finish many things. Tomorrow - the list! I know you're as excited as I am. xoxox

Upcoming Gallery Show

Toast with Jam
26" x 31"

I'll have three pieces in a show opening January 9 when Mint Hill Arts (near Charlotte) minthillarts.org hosts Quilt Evolution: Traditional to Contemporary. I'd decided which quilts to exhibit but had to wait for two of them (Orange Slice and Shrimp Creole - shown in the Oct. 24 post) to be returned from Piedmont Arts in VA. Thankfully, they arrived in time to make the entry deadline - noon yesterday.

I learned that each artist's work will be hung together. Had I known, I probably would have submitted quilts with colors which worked well with those in Orange Slice and Shrimp Creole. But Toast with Jam is larger and will hopefully make a stronger statement on the gallery wall.

The show should be fabulous, as it will have work from several area artists with growing national reputations.

Gallery Reception: Friday, January 9, 2009, 7-9 p.m. Mint Hill Arts, The Grace Building, 7714 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd., Mint Hill NC 28227
See right sidebar for additional information

Happy New Year!

I hope this has been a wonderful day for you! A New Year always brings hope and renewed good intentions for me. As food for thought on this first day of 2009, I want to share a couple of my favorite quotes:

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." Oprah Winfrey

"One resolution I have made and try always to keep is:
to rise above the little things." John Burroughs

My wish for you is this: that you enjoy good health, have abundant joy and find creativity in all that you touch. Most of all, I wish you peace.

Happy New Year!

Ellen xoxoxoxoxoxox